If there’s one thing you can learn from the Internet, it is that its inhabitants love to feel connected. This is evident from the constant flow of junk appearing on our Facebook timelines – what with the tons of masked pleas from friends asking for acceptance and approval (please “Like”!) in the form of ab-baring selfies, food shots and how they are “Going to the grocers to buy mustard seeds.”

We are social creatures after all, and we crave that sense of belonging.

But if you take a closer look, they are merely a fraction of the type of content shared on Facebook. And despite what you think – it isn’t always all junk.

There are also content worth sharing, with some of them created by brands like us.

That said, there’s this argument that branded content (i.e. those with logos slapped on them) will hinder people from clicking the share button. This, however, couldn’t be further from the truth: we share things on our Facebook based on its contents and not on what brand it is associated with.

We share content that will reflect back on us, thus tying it back to our need to feel acknowledged. Understanding this will help you understand what your brand should share on Facebook and why.

Here is a list of the types of content shared on Facebook, with examples that ARE tied to brands:

1. Relevancy
The best way to claim your spot within your social circle is to be up to date with current news. Nando’s took advantage of this and responded to a KFC scandal by whipping up the punchy ad below. This was shared 3,500 times and commented 430 times.

2. Value
A show of value is a good start if you want to prove your worth in a social setting. Similac presented value to their customers when they created the Diaper Decoder, a quick and easy way to understand the current health of your baby by examining the color of their poop.

3. Cutting Edge
Being the first, the coolest, and the most extreme will always receive nods of approval from your peers. This is why Red Bull Stratos‘s space diving project was able to accumulate 83,000 shares and 900,000 interactions on the day alone. The official RedBull Facebook Page also received 740,000 interactions.

4. Knee-Slapper
A good sense of humor will help anyone climb the social ranks. Old Spice hit the mark with their “Smell like a man, man” campaign. So much so, their Facebook Page saw an 800% increase in fan interaction.

It is clear that the things we share on Facebook isn’t about the brand but about what the content delivers. Be it a meme, rage face or a product commercial, we share because we too want to stand out in the ever-saturated pool.